


The Promise of a Hero

by Fantasy0fanatic



Series: The Hero Duology [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: I Haven't Read The Trials of Apollo, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace Fluff, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is a Mess, Read the other one first, Sad Nico di Angelo, Sequel, Spider-Man: Homecoming Spoilers, Tony Stark Has Issues, highschool, nico wants a nap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantasy0fanatic/pseuds/Fantasy0fanatic
Summary: Book 2: Nico di Angelo/Spider-Man Homecoming.Hades decides that Nico needs to interact with the living after what happened during the battle against Ultron, so he sends him to a school in Queens New York to learn how to socialize. Though, instead of having relaxing, more like boring, year, Nico somehow crosses paths with the neighborhood's Spider-man. Who's great idea was this?
Series: The Hero Duology [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1357183
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

So far Hades throne room has been a source of bad news for years. This is where Persephone turned me into a plant, where my father revealed that he wished Bianca lived instead of me, where I ended up betraying Percy, and where I got the quest that get Will killed. So it's reasonable to say that I don't have high expectations as I stand at the foot of Hades throne with my head bowed.

"Do you have another job for me?" I question. Lately I've been working as a grim reaper by collecting escaped souls. I had been hoping to get the day off so that I could visit Will in Elysian. It's almost Ashely's birthday and I need his advice on what you should get a twelve year old child of Hecate that can raise dead animals. Though, it doesn't look like that will happen now.

"Not exactly," Father hesitates to continue. That's never a good sign. "Thanatos tells me you've been avoiding people ever since you left camp."

"Then Thanatos is mistaken," I deny even if it is true, but only slightly. It's true I have only been back to Half-Blood once or twice since leaving during Will's funeral, but I have other places to stay like an Apartment in Queens under a fake name or my room in the Underworld. As for the whole avoiding people thing, I may have isolated myself from everyone for a few months after Will's death, but I eventually worked up the courage to visit Elysian. Obviously Will gave me an earful about how I shouldn't push everyone away and bugged me until I made up with Lou Ellen. Now I hang out with her and Ashely, so technically I have four friends if I count Hazel, so ignoring everyone else in the world shouldn't warrant getting summoned to the throne room.

"It doesn't matter, I've already turned in the paper work and had you enrolled," Father brushes off my comment.

"Enrolled? Wait, are you making me go to school?" I can't believe it.

"Yes, I've have been assured that all normal kids your age go, and I think it will help your social skills if you try it," he explains. Should I be irritated or proud that he just inferred that I'm not normal.

"But I have tutors. Why do I need to go to an actual school when I can learn everything here?" I resist. My father sighs as though he expected this to happen.

"I'm sure you're aware that most of my children become anti-social, are shunned, or go crazy." Yeah, like my big brother Hitler. "Well, I want you to be an exception." Oh great, he's getting all sappy. Who is this guy and what has he done with my stone hearted father?

"And you think that forcing me to go to school will help keep me from wanting to go on a killing spree?" I can't help roll my eyes.

"Exactly," he completely ignores my sarcasm.

"Fine," I groan, "when do I start?"

"Monday, so tomorrow. Jules Albert knows where it is and can drive you in the morning. For convenience you should stay in the apartment during the week. You'll find you school supplies there, Hades instructs. Ugh, I'm not ready for this. I had hoped to have at least a week to prepare before having to deal with the torture that is school.

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter then I shadow travel to my room to start packing. Will will have to wait until another day.

In my room, I throw random shirts (most of them black) and jeans into a blood red and black duffel bag. Next, I call a skeleton guard and order him to give a message to Will about what's happening and where I'm going. No one wants him to try storming the palace again, that was a disaster. Don't ask.

With that done, I shadow travel to my apartment. I remember to set an alarm for tomorrow before I collapse on my bed to pass out. Might as well be rested for my first day of school in years. I'm already dreading this. Why do the Fates hate me?


	2. Chapter 2

Did I ever mention how much I hate school? The hallways aren't wide enough to accommodate all the students at once. Everyone has their own little cliche. The classes are incredibly boring. And if one more thing almost hits me in the head, I'm going to lose it. This might as well be the mortal version of the Fields of Punishment. At least the girl put in charge of showing me around isn't terrible. Like me, she's more of a loner. I think her name was Michelle or something. Though she doesn't seem to share any classes with me. Now I'm resisting the urge to bang my head on the table as the teacher drones on and on. The guy in front of me has the right idea. Instead of listening to the lesson he's watching videos of some hero in a red suit swinging around New York.

At lunch I end up sitting across from Michelle at the same table as the kid from before and another guy. Michelle and I politely ignore each other while the guys discuss a girl hanging up a banner for the homecoming dance. "Don't you think that's starting to get a little creepy," I offer when they begin discussing her skirt. Michelle looks up from what she's doing at my comment and gives a small laugh.

"To late, it's been creepy for a while now," Michelle points out. "Those two losers are Peter and Ned; they're always like that," she introduces.

"Then why do you sit with them?" I wonder.

"Finally, someone asks." Ned exclaims. "I like you. What's your name?"

"Nico di Angelo," I offer hesitantly.

"You know, I don't think I've seen you around," Peter continues the conversation. Michelle returns to what ever it is she was doing without answering my question as the attention shifts to me.

"It's my first day so," I let them make their own conclusion.

They continue asking me about everything from my favorite color (black obviously) to why it sounds like I have a slight accent (I'm Italian, of course I have an accent), most of which I answer with half lies. By the time lunch ends I think I'm free from having to socialize, but instead I end up getting dragged to practice for something that all the others at the table are involved in. I just want to be left alone. Is that to much to ask? The club's main purpose seems easy enough. The girl Peter has a crush on asks a question that you ring a bell to answer. For a while I watch and try to see how many I can get right before I realize that even though I know the answer to a good many, the ones I don't know involve specific information that has no use to me. Like, when will I ever need to know what the heaviest element is? Instead I try to work on the homework assigned for tonight, just another reason why I hate school.

"I can't, I have to be here in case Mr. Stark needs me for something," Peter argues with the teacher in charge. I don't know what they're talking about, but Stark's name catches my interest.

"Like you've met Tony Stark" An obnoxious jerk I heard being called Flash, comments.

The conversation increases to include the other members of the club who aren't to happy for some reason. Something about Peter refusing to go to Washington which is a bad thing for the team or whatever. According to Michelle, this isn't the first club he dropped out of or even the second. Plans are changed so that Flash can replace Peter before the bell rings and everyone goes to their next class. Michelle asks Peter to show me the way since apparently we have the same teacher. Ugh, I've avoided the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D since the fight with Ultron and Will's death, now I end up in the same class as someone who might work for the most annoying hero ever. This better not be why Hades sent me to this school. Forcing me to socialize is bad enough, but making me confront my not so distant past is taking his attempts to be a good father to far.

My last class of the day is completely boring, the bell can't ring fast enough. I wait for everyone to leave the room before grabbing my stuff and shadow traveling to my apartment. My bag with all my homework gets thrown in the nearest corner where I might do it if I get bored later, but more than likely be ignored. I should probably go see Will about what to get Ashely for her birthday since I haven't done that yet, but then there's the chance that I'll run into my father who might ask how my day was. I don't have the energy to deal with that conversation or any conversation really. Watching television until I get hungry enough to find something to eat it is then. I'm to worn out from socializing and pretending that I'm actually learning anything to care about monsters coming to attack me because I'm watching Supernatural. A couple hours of blissful alone time before it's ruined by the alarm of a nearby store.

"No, stop, I'm done helping people," I complain to the noise that's ruining my show. I bury my head in one of the pillows laying on the couch to muffle the sound.

It doesn't work.

"Seriously?" I grumble to no one in particular. "Fine, fine, I'll go check it out but nothing more." I stab at the pause button then melt into the shadows.

I come out just in time to see criminals in Avenger masks fighting the spider person that Peter is obsessed with. I've only known him for a day and all he talks about is this super hero and Liz. He shouldn't be quitting all his clubs and hobbies, he should be joining more so that he has something else to obsess over. But that's not important right now. The web shooter seem to be holding his own, so I don't need to be here. He's dodging the attacks made by the guys with the large ray gun. If he has this covered then I can go back to watching Sam, Dean, and Cass hunt monsters and save people. What could go wrong? It's a simple robbery.

I really need to learn to stop testing the Fates. Those laser gun things are a lot more powerful than they look. I figured that out when one was shot in my direction. Thankfully I was able to get out of the way before being turned into cinders, but the building across the street wasn't so lucky. If the explosion didn't destroy everything, the raging fire was sure to finish the job. Okay, maybe this super hero doesn't have this covered.


	3. Chapter 3

Eyelids so heavy. "Mr. di Angelo." Just five more minutes of sleep, please. "Mr. di Angelo!" My eyes snap open while my brain begins processing my surroundings for any potential threats. Desks, a white board, and an angry teacher, I must be at school. "This is going to be on our next test, meaning you need to pay attention. I doubt you can do that if you're busy sleeping," The teacher, Mr. whatshisname, instructs.

"No more sleeping in class, got it," I yawn. He nods, satisfied that I got the message, and goes back to teaching some subject I don't care about. Now that his back is turned to me, I take the opportunity to try falling back asleep.

"You really should pay attention. When he says it'll be on the test he means it," Peter warns me.

"Don't care, sleep is the only important thing right now," I pretend snore to prove my point. It ends up drawing the teacher's attention, so I quickly sit up straight and scribble something down in my notebook.

"You really look exhausted," Peter continues pestering me by stating the obvious.

"Really, and here I thought I was bright as a button." I roll my eyes. Rude, yes, but at least he's to offended to say anything.

It's not his fault I'm in such a bad mood. After the building blew up last night, I stayed to see if there was any thing I could do. There wasn't, so I went home and binged watched Supernatural for the rest of the night. It wasn't the worst decision I've every made. Though probably not the best decision either. Thankfully Peter and the teacher left me alone for the rest of the period which let me get enough sleep to survive the rest of the day. I'll apologize later.

Later never came. I tried to tell him I was sorry. I tried when I sat with him during lunch again, but he spent the entire time whispering something to Ned. During gym I tried while we were watching a video staring Captain America, but Peter and Ned were discussing something about shields. Eventually the end of the day came and I never formally told Peter I was sorry. Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right? Besides, I have someone else I need to talk to right now.

I don't bother going to the apartment. Instead I find the nearest back alley and shadow travel to the Underworld. Walking past the wandering souls of Asphodel and the locked gates of the Fields of Punishment, I reach the entrance to Elysium. I flash my skull ring toward the skeletal guard to confirm my identity. He scrabbles to the controls to let me through, probably scared I'll get angry and disintegrate him if he makes me wait. Though I wouldn't go that far, I'm glad he's quick about it.

The colorful gardens and silvery, stone paths spread out before me. The house I'm looking for is closer to the middle of town which means I have to walk past couples and friends that are going for walks or something before ending up in front of a pale yellow farm house with white trim. Taking a deep breath, I trudge up the steps and ring the doorbell. After waiting a minute and no one coming to answer the door, I ring it again. When that doesn't work, I switch to knocking, trying to ignore the sense of deja vu creeping up on me. No, Will isn't Bianca. He didn't choose rebirth without telling me. He couldn't have just left like that. He promised he wouldn't.

"Hey, Nico!" Lee Fletcher, another son of Apollo greets from the street. "If you're looking for Will, I think he's out back." He points to a gate that leads to Will's back yard before spotting one of his friends and jogs to meet them.

I let Lee get out of sight before rushing off the porch and through the fence gate. A sigh of relief escapes me when I see Will kneeled down, tending flowers I gave him from my step-mother's garden. I should have realized that Will wouldn't of left without at least telling me first, but it's easy to jump to conclusion when I can't think of a reason for him to stay here in the gloomy Underworld.

"Geez Nico, you scared me." Will catches sight of me watching him and turn away from what he's doing. "Don't you know that it's polite to knock?" He jokes.

"I'll have to remember that." I give a small smile to hide how panicked I was three minutes ago. 

"Great, then you should come in for some coffee, you look like you're about to fall asleep where you stand." Will gets up from his crouched position, expecting me to follow him inside. "You coming?" He asks when I don't. I must take to long to answer because he quickly dons his concerned doctor face. "Everything okay?"

I twist my skull ring around my finger. This wasn't the first time that I thought Will might have been reborn, and with things the way they are it won't be the last. It's just so easy to think he left when I can't figure out a reason for him to remain in a dreary place like the Underworld. "Why are you still here?" I blurt out. The sight of Will's shocked and slightly offend face makes me want to take back the words as soon as they exit my mouth. "I mean, why stay here? Why not be reborn where you have a chance to help people like you did when you were alive? Depending on who you're reborn as, you could become a real doctor," I try to better explain.

"First of all, not having a degree does not mean that I'm not a real doctor. Second, I'm helping people here. For example, right now I'm helping you realize how much of an idiot you are for thinking I need to be reborn and leave all my friends to be happy," Will scolds.I don't know what to say, so I keep my mouth shut. "Now Neeks, if you don't have any other idiotic questions, I'll make that coffee I mentioned and you can tell me all the details about this school you're going to, okay?" I nod. "Good," Will approves.

"Oh, Will?" I finally speak as he's about to walk into the house

"Yeah?"

"Don't call me Neeks," I remind him. He grins.

"Whatever you say Death Breath."

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: If it sounds familiar then I probably don't own it.


End file.
